Ken Danklefs
Mar 01, 2016
TEMPLE, TX – The USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited (DU) conservation and sustainability project, Sustaining the Future of Rice, takes a big step forward today with the announcement that the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Texas has begun accepting Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) applications for the project.
The National Rice Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project, funded by NRCS, was awarded $10 million in 2015 and is coordinated by USA Rice, Ducks Unlimited, and more than forty additional partners and sponsors.
The goal is to implement targeted conservation practices on working ricelands in all six rice-growing states using the EQIP and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The targeted application of practices aims to address three related natural resource opportunities in rice: water quantity, water quality, and wetland habitat.
Texas is the fifth rice-growing state to accept EQIP applications through the Rice Stewardship Partnership’s RCPP project.
Ken Danklefs, rice farmer and Texas representative for USA Rice on the Stewardship Partnership shared his enthusiasm, “The Stewardship Partnership is bringing Texas $1 million to be used toward implementing CSP and EQIP contracts. Houston-based American Rice, Inc. graciously contributed an additional $50,000 to supplement USA Rice’s efforts in Texas and that support from millers says a lot about our industry.”
Danklefs added, “I’m encouraging our rice farmers to submit EQIP applications under the National Rice project. Water quantity is the top concern and practices such as underground pipelines on groundwater wells are high priority, followed by irrigation land levelling, water control structures, and renovation of irrigation pumping plants. If you’re planning on doing some of these practices on your operation already or you’re on the fence about it, this is a perfect opportunity to get some help from the industry and USDA.”
Applications will be accepted through March 18 at local NRCS offices in the following Texas counties: Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Jackson, Jefferson, Lavaca, Liberty, Matagorda, Waller, and Wharton.